According to Eurogamer.net, the horror game No Players Online has returned to Steam after being unavailable for nearly three weeks following its launch in early November. Developer Beeswax Games says the removal was due to an “unfounded” DMCA takedown notice filed by a “former friend” who claimed to be a co-author but allegedly contributed nothing. The studio, founded by the game’s original 2019 creators Adam Pype, Tibau Van den Broeck, and Viktor Kraussays, immediately filed a counter-notice, and the game was reinstated after the claimant’s response period lapsed. The developer states the incident has had a “significant impact,” causing them to lose crucial launch momentum and revenue after spending a “ton of money” over two and a half years of development. As a result, Beeswax Games is “unsure” if it can recover financially and says the future of the studio is now uncertain.
The DMCA Trapdoor
Here’s the thing that’s genuinely scary, and it’s not just the game’s plot. The developer’s statement hits the nail on the head: “It’s crazy to me that someone can just take down our game by filling out a simple form.” And it’s true. The DMCA system, in its effort to streamline copyright protection, has this massive, glaring flaw. It often operates on a “shoot first, ask questions later” basis. A single claim, even a completely bogus one, can trigger an automatic takedown. For a platform like Steam, it’s a liability shield. For a small indie studio, it’s an existential threat that can strike at the worst possible moment—right after launch.
A Betrayal With Consequences
Now, the human element here is brutal. This wasn’t some random troll from a forum; it was a “former friend.” The emotional and financial betrayal is a double whammy. Beeswax talks about trying to reconcile the betrayal, and you can feel the exhaustion in their public statement. But beyond the personal sting, the timing is a financial killer. The first few weeks after launch are everything for an indie game. That’s when you get your initial reviews, your word-of-mouth, your algorithm boost on storefronts. Losing nearly three weeks of that is like running a marathon and then having someone cut the ribbon just as you’re about to cross the finish line. The momentum is gone. And with “already thin margins,” that loss might be unrecoverable.
A Broken System?
This isn’t an isolated incident, and that’s the real problem. Remember the Soviet city-builder Workers & Resources getting hit by a “nonsense” claim from an angry fan? Or Bungie suing a YouTuber for weaponizing fraudulent DMCA notices? The pattern is clear: the system is ripe for abuse. It’s a tool that can be used for harassment, sabotage, or simple pettiness. The counter-notice process exists, but it takes time—time a small operation doesn’t have. So what’s the solution? Platforms could implement stricter verification for claims, or perhaps create a tiered system where repeat, unfounded filers face penalties. But that costs money and resources. For now, it seems the burden of proof and the cost of delay falls almost entirely on the target.
An Uncertain Future
Beeswax says they’re committed to their post-launch plans for the game, and I genuinely hope they pull through. But their statement reads like a cautionary tale for every small creator out there. Your biggest risk might not be poor reviews or technical bugs. It might be a legal mechanism that a disgruntled acquaintance can exploit with a few clicks. It exposes a fragile underbelly of the digital creative economy. So, what happens now? The game is back, but the damage is done. The studio’s future hangs in the balance, all because of a form someone filled out. That’s a horror story no developer wants to live through.
